Northumbrian Climbing Guide |
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| Ratcheugh | What the symbols & colours mean |
| Grid Ref: NU224145 Aspect: W Routes: 45 Max Length: 12 Average Length: 8 | Warning  |
| Altitude: 120 mtrs Walk in: 2 mins Route quality: * Bouldering quality: poor |
       11 | Click here for StreetMap | ||
From Alnwick bypass take the B1340, signposted to Alnwick, Denwick & Seahouses. Turn right through Denwick and then right again towards Longhoughton. After a mile, turn right at the cross-roads go past the crag park in a layby opposite the drive to Ratcheugh Folly. Follow the track at the edge of the wood until under folly and then go straight up to the crag. Alternately, from Alnwick take the A1068 signposted to Alnmouth and Ashington for 2 miles until a left turn is taken towards Longhoughton. Plkease inform the tenant at teh folly, who is an very pleasant lady and is quite happy to allow climbing on the crag so long as the culprits identify themselves. | |||
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General:
A wooded whinstone crag with an 18th century castle-like folly on the top and lot of good little routes in the lower grades.The friction is good and the whinstone is on teh whole reliable.There has been some recent clearance of woods in the section of wood under the folly and as a result the north end of the crag is nice and airy, the south end is still engulfed in the wood, although the climbing is good.
Rock:
Whinstone Quartz Dolerite, Permo-Carboniferous Good Access issues:
Ask at the folly atop the crag. The easiest way is to do one of the lines around Narrow Buttress which bring you out at the entrance to the folly, then ask!
History:
Routes were first recorded on Ratcheugh by Peter Biven whilst he was stationed at RAF Boulmer. He recorded over 20 routes up to HVS, but none can be identified today. In more recent years, the Wanneys Climbing Club systematically developed the crag and produced an excellent little hand printed guide. The hand-drawn diagram, most descriptions and route names are based on that guide. The only recorded hard line, Girlfriend in a Coma was soloed by both Hayden Rouse and Andrew Pedley in May 1990. |
